


if i have you by my side everything will be alright

by lilacvenus



Series: I saw what a cutie you were the first time I met you [4]
Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Dorks in Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, My poor little Eddie is so confused, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Stan is the MVP, They are so in love that ir hurts, they kiss a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 12:58:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19476406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacvenus/pseuds/lilacvenus
Summary: One night a sad Richie kisses Eddie which leads to many more kisses but much more confusion.





	if i have you by my side everything will be alright

Eddie woke up at the sound of his mother's footsteps in the hallway. He let out a sigh, opening his eyes and looking at the empty space by his side. Hours ago Richie was there, but now only his sheets kept him company. He stroked the pillow next to him, closing his eyes tightly, trying to feel again the warmth of his friend's body. After a while the alarm clock rang, with all his will, he got down from the bed, feeling the cold floor, bringing him back to reality, making his chest hurt.

"My dad gave me a new bird book. I was planning on going later to look for some where the road starts, do you want to come?" Eddie took the books out of his locker, when he arrived he had met the blond and his friend accompanied him inside.

"Oh, I need to ask my mom first, but of course I'd love it."

"What would you love, Eddie spaghetti?" The two heads turned to look at the owner of the voice, who was none other than Richie, who arrived and recharged himself next to Eddie's locker.

"Stan invited me to watch birds today." Eddie answered without looking at him, placing the books in his backpack. "And don't call me like that."

"Great, that way you will not listen when your mother and I are together." Eddie hit him lightly on the shoulder and told him to shut up. "Why didn't you invite me, Stan the man?"

"Richie, you know you've been banned of going since the day you scared away a bird that Stan seriously wanted to watch." Eddie scolded him. "You also make a lot of noise."

"Oh, Eds. You had hurt my feelings." He pretended to fall to the floor, while the younger looked at him reproachfully.

"Maybe when you learn to stay quiet you'll be invited, although I see it impossible." Stan looked at his handwatch. "See you guys. Don't forget to ask your mom, Eddie." The aforementioned nodded, and the two said goodbye with a nod to their friend.

"You weren't there when I woke up." Eddie mentioned, pretending disinterest as he closed the locker.

"Yeah, I had to take a shower and I couldn't do it with your mother there. Well, at least if she wanted to join." Eddie rolled the eyes. "Whatever, my parents will be out these days. I was thinking about whether we could now be at my house."

"I don't know, then you would have to help me convince my mother."

"She will accept, that woman loves me." He put an arm around the other boy's shoulders and escorted him to his classroom.

It was lunchtime and all the losers were together, the only one that was missing was Richie. Eddie had his tray with food, in which he had already set aside half of the fruit and sandwich for Richie, since he had given up fighting with the curly boy because he always stole part of his food.

Everyone was talking animatedly, Eddie looking at the door from time to time to see if Richie would ever cross it. He was surprised. Normally Richie always waits for him outside his classroom and they went together to the cafeteria, where they meet the others. This time, after leaving class, Richie wasn't anywhere, even Eddie decided to wait five minutes more but his friend didn't appear.

"Eddie, I think you can eat the whole sandwich without worrying." Beverly mentioned, who was sitting next to him, and was looking toward a specific place in the cafeteria. "Richie is a little bit busy today." Beverly raised her eyebrows and Eddie decided to follow her gaze.

Richie was talking to a girl with long pigtails and a huge smile. Eddie felt his heart shrink. He let out a nervous laugh, nodding and looking away from them. He lost his appetite and decided to give the sandwich to Bill and Ben, leaving the fruit to the others. Excusing himself of having forgotten some books in the classroom he left and started wandering the halls of the school like a ghost.

The day's classes had finished, and Eddie watched Richie waiting for him next to his locker, as he approached, he noticed that the same girl of the cafeteria approached Richie and started talking to him. "Eds." The boy decided to ignore his friend's voice and went straight to the exit, meeting Stan, who just raised an eyebrow.

"Stan. Bird watching, now?"

Stan observed with his binoculars a bird that was standing at the top of a tree, while Eddie read the book that Stan had brought with him. He needed to be distracted, and this was exactly the right way. 

Stan loves all his friends equally, but it was always only Eddie who he asked to accompany him to observe birds. Bill was a very desperate person, Beverly didn't see the case of doing that, Mike always talked a lot, Ben got bored and Richie was a special case, but Eddie was the only one who appreciated the silence and birds as well as Stan. He didn't do it at first but he learned to love it.

Eddie really appreciated that Stan shared one of his passions with him, the blond had taught him a lot about birds and he enjoys the comfortable silence that exist between them, they could spend hours without speaking and still enjoy their company.

"What happened in the cafeteria?" Stan broke the silence, while he continued to observe with the binoculars, adjusting them.

Eddie took his eyes off the book. "What?"

"I just want to make sure, are you okay?" He took his eyes off the binoculars and gave him a warming look. Eddie nodded. "You know you can trust me, right?" Eddie nodded again. Looking into his friend's eyes, and almost letting the truth spilled out of his mouth, the truth that has been pressing his chest for so long, _almost_.

"Look, Eddie, isn't it wonderful?" Stan ran after a bird that had passed near them, causing Eddie to swallow his words. "I hadn't seen any other like it! Eddie, bring the notebook! Run!"

The youngest only smiled and ran after his friend, who was screaming the features of the bird for Eddie to take notes.

Eddie watched the window of his room, waiting for the curly boy to appear at any time, but he never came.

Eddie almost fall asleep in two classes before the break came, last night he hadn't had any sleep because he was concentrated in watching the window.

All the losers were in the cafeteria as usual, well, except Richie. Eddie noticed that he unconsciously separated the food into two equal portions. Ben and Bill were arguing heatedly about a new movie that the others had not seen, when Richie made presence at the table.

"Hey, look who's here. A stranger." Beverly said, while Richie took a place between Eddie and Bill.

"Have you missed me?" He smiled as he put one of his arms around Eddie's shoulders, the youngest frown. "I've been very busy with Eddie's mother." Everyone reproached him while Eddie was still distracted by the touch of his friend. "Eds. Are you going to eat that?" He pointed to the half of the sandwich that was in the tray.

Eddie cleared his throat. "I think you came too late, I promised it to Ben. Didn't I, Ben?"

The chubby boy nodded slowly. "But he only did it because we thought you wouldn't be with us again, I don't have any problem with Eddie giving it to you."

"Yeah, yesterday we saw you quite... Busy." Beverly said, giving him a defiant look. Richie just raised the eyebrows.

"What can I tell you? It is not my fault to have a natural charm and that girls notice it." He smiled as he took the sandwich slice from Eddie's tray.

"It's Ben's." Eddie whispered.

"Ben said he doesn't care." Richie answered, giving it a bite.

"I do care." He said in a higher tone, making Richie frown and lower the sandwich. "But you never care." He looked him in the eyes with fury. "Take Ben." He extended the other half of the sandwich, Ben took it uncertainly, not wanting to contradict his friend, thanking him. "You can keep the rest too." He said to Richie and went out of the cafeteria leaving the table in silence and a bewildered Richie.

It was the only day of the week in which Eddie's classes ended earlier than Richie's, and that usually leads to Eddie waiting for the other boy in the library and then the two of them going together out of school. This time, when the bell rang, Eddie took all his things and without saying goodbye to anyone he pedaled away. He found himself in the same place where he had been with Stanley yesterday. He had brought his own binoculars and a small bird book that the blond boy had given him. He wanted to forget everything. After a while, he heard a bicycle approach and stop by his side. It was Stan, they exchanged glances for a second, the other boy stood beside him and also took out his book and binoculars. They spent the whole afternoon without uttering a word, when evening came they silently decided it was time to leave.

Before getting on their bikes, Eddie took the other boy's shoulder to get his attention. "I," Stan just shook his head, indicating that he didn't need any explanation. Eddie gave him a sincere smile. "Thanks." He said, really meaning it, and they pedaled to their respective homes.

Eddie came into his house and noticed that the lights were off, he breathed a sigh of relief and went to his room. Upon arriving, he noticed that the window was open, and that there was someone sitting on the bed.

"Eds, I've been waiting for you." Richie commented, observing the whole room, avoiding the gaze of the little boy.

"Don't call me like that." He released automatically, looking at the floor, starting to play with the handle of the door.

Richie laughed weakly and just looked down. "Have you changed me for Stan?"

"It's spring, you know what that means."

"Birds."

"Many birds." Eddie agreed. "Besides, it's not me who has been hanging around with other people," He could feel the rage taking over his body. "It's not me who is changing one person for another," He wanted to keep complaining about it, but he noticed how Richie placed his head in his hands, not wanting to observe him, as if, _as if_. "Oh, god. Richie, are you okay? I didn't want to," He approached him and sat next to him.

The boy with glasses denied. "It's not that."

The smaller one placed one of his hands on his friend's shoulder. "Richie, please. Look at me." The other boy continued to keep his gaze down. " _Please_." Eddie repeated, making him look at him. "Richie, who did this to you?" He let go horrified, watching the purple and bleeding cheek of his best friend, panicking. The other boy didn't answer. "I'll take care of you. Wait, I'll go for my medicine cabinet." Before he stood up, the other boy took him by the hand and denied. "Richie, I need to heal you."

The boy in glasses pressed his grip on the boy's hands, a silence formed in the room. "Just," He looked into Eddie's eyes. "Kiss me."

Eddie felt his body burned, he didn't understand what was happening. Kissing Richie was an option that existed only in his dreams, and now he was there, in his room with a blow on his cheek and who knows where else, asking him to kiss him. Richie, not getting a response took the minor's face in his hands and looked into his eyes, seeing that Eddie didn't put any resistance, approached their faces, brushing their noses, and slowly closed the distance between them. The kiss was delicate, and slow. Eddie had never kissed anyone before, but kissing Richie's lips seemed so natural. Their lips were synchronized and Richie decided to deepen the kiss, taking Eddie by the hips, making him place his hands on either side of his shoulders, hugging him, pulling him closer to him. They kissed for a long time, and when they finished they hugged tightly while Richie put small kisses on the brunet's forehead, and only then Eddie decided it was time to clean the wounds.

He took his medicine cabinet from the bathroom and returned to the room. Richie was still sitting on the bed and Eddie placed himself in the middle of the boy's legs, took his face with one hand and began to clean the wounds and disinfect them.

"Do you have another wound?" Richie seemed to think about it, but nodded and indicated that in his abdomen. "Lift your shirt, please." Eddie spoke. "Who did this to you, Richie?" He whispered, while caressing his cheek delicately.

Richie hesitated a second, but spoke. "My dad." The words burned as they left his throat. "He wanted me to remember him before they left." He made a short sarcastic laugh.

Eddie finished disinfecting the wounds and placed band-aids and bandages accordingly. "Ready." He placed the medicine cabinet under the bed and stood for a moment.

"Eds." The little one just turned to see him, didn't correcting him, didn't show him any signs of anger either. "Can I kiss you again?" Eddie only blushed, but approached slowly to the tallest boy and placed himself between his legs.

Richie took Eddie's face in his hands again, and they met each other's gaze. Eddie tried to read Richie's eyes, but he couldn't. They only looked at him with love, but he still didn't understand that. Richie put his lips back on Eddie's.

They had a session of kisses that lasted for a long time, Richie had started with a slow and delicate kiss, but the rhythm was increasing and now they were kissing in a strong way, making Eddie a mess of emotions.

Even at bedtime they kept kissing, until Richie decided it was too late. Eddie played with his fingers on the curly boy's chest for a second. "Will you disappear before dawn?" Richie only pressed him closer to his chest. Eddie knew it was a silly question, Richie doesn't leave because he wants to, he does it to not cause any problems with his mother. Richie gave him a small kiss on the forehead. "So, since tomorrow will we be at your house?" Eddie looked up and Richie gave him a big smile, giving him a small kiss on the lips.

"Did you tell your mother?" Eddie denied.

"But she will let me, I have been taking my meds without fail and obeying all her orders." He spoke while Richie kissed him from time to time.

"Great, Eddie spaghetti." The boy hit him in the chest, while Richie hugged him laughing.

Eddie was in his locker talking to his friends. Bill was talking about a sleepover in his house when Beverly and Richie arrived.

"Hey guys." The redhead smiled at them, being received by a greeting from everyone. Richie looked at Eddie, but Eddie blushed and lowered the face. "What were you talking about?"

"Bill was talking about the sleepover we had been planning. Apparently, his parents will make a party at his house and it will not be possible."

"Huh, that sucks. Wait! Richie just told me that his parents will be out for a week." Everyone turned to see Beverly. "We could do it there, if he agrees of course." They all looked at Richie, who was staring at Eddie.

"Oh, sure. It's okay."

Eddie placed his things in Richie's room, while the other boy was taking one of his vinyl records. "Is Zepepelin okay?" Eddie nodded and turned to see him, the boy with glasses placed the acetate and the music began to flood the room. The two sat on the bed and Richie began to caress Eddie's hands slowly. They looked into each other's eyes and Eddie kissed Richie's lips, surprising him because up until now he had only been the one with initiative. After some time, the kisses started to being wetter than the previous ones, Eddie now straddling the other boy, locking Richie between his legs. Richie placed his hands on the hips of the youngest, caressing them, when the bell rang, taking them out of the trance in which they were. Eddie sat again on the bed, quite blushed and looked at the floor embarrassed, Richie took his hands.

"I really wanted that it had only been you and me, but I couldn't tell the boys no." The boy with glasses spoke.

The younger denied. "Don't worry, I'ts fine."

"I'll go to open, you can go down whenever you want." Before leaving, Richie put one last kiss on Eddie's lips. "I can't wait to be alone with you again."

Eddie had a smile on his face as he looked at all the posters that Richie had in his room, let out a big sigh and decided it was time to join the others.

All the losers laughed, spending time together was one of their favorite things. They had finished watching a movie and now they were sitting in a circle, Beverly had suggested playing truth or dare. The bottle spun among all and in the end Mike had to ask Eddie. "Truth or dare?" They had been playing for a while and the dares had increased in intensity, so he didn't want to do something very out of place.

"Truth."

"Our little Eddie has chosen truth! What do we want to know about him? Mike, What are you going to ask?" Mike seemed to think about it.

"Have you given your first kiss?" All eyes were on the boy who was blushing.

He gave a fleeting glance to the curly boy. "Yes." Everyone shouted excitedly.

"Honestly, Mike at first I thought your question was a waste of time because the last time we played this game Eddie was asked the same thing and he said no, but now it turns out to be a bomb." Beverly said. "Tell us who was."

Eddie couldn't be more red. "I think Mike didn't ask that." Richie laughed.

"So smart, Eddie, but I will know eventually."

A couple of rounds and more dares, in which Ben had to dance with Stan, Mike had to kiss the sole of Beverly's shoe, Eddie had to make a phone joke and Bill confess that he was still sleeping with a teddy bear. They turned the bottle and the roles had changed. Richie have to ask Eddie.

"So, Eddie spaghetti. Truth or dare?" They looked into each other eyes.

"Truth." All applauded. "And don't call me that."

"Well done, Richie. It's your chance to ask him." Beverly gave him a little shove.

"Your first kiss... How was it? I mean, did you like it, was it good?"

The boy tried to keep his face neutral, but a smile escaped him. "I have no point of comparison, but it was... Well, it was really good. Yes, I liked it a lot." Eddie looked down, he couldn't keep looking at Richie. The other losers only made mocking sounds.

"Was a tongue involved?"

"For God sake, Stan!" The mentioned one only raised the shoulders.

"I think it would be interesting to know how our little Eddie kisses, besides we still don't even know who the girl was."

"What do you think if we play another game?" Richie interrupted Stan and everyone nodded in consent.

All the losers took a long drink from their cup except Eddie.

Beverly laughed. "Now we know that Eddie didn't give his secret lover a French kiss." She laughed, they had decided to play _never have I ever_.

At the end of the game Richie and Beverly were the ones who drank the most, followed by Bill and Stan. Everyone was scattered in the room, and they had decided it was time to sleep.

Richie was talking animatedly with Beverly and Stan, while Eddie was leaning his head on Bill's shoulder, the stuttering boy was talking to him about the new turntable that his father had bought and how they should go for more records to listen to them. Richie walked towards them and placed himself in front of the two boys.

"Billiam!" The two guys turned to see Richie, Eddie raising his head from the shoulder of his friend. "Are you trying to steal my Eds?" Bill let out a small laugh, placing his arm around Eddie.

"Of course I try to do-do it." he answered in a playful tone.

"Stop it! He’s mine. Eddie, tell Bill that you belong to me." Eddie laughed nervously, knowing that Richie was drunk and that he should stop him before he did or said something stupid. "Indeed, I think Eddie could tell you how..." Eddie stood up quickly and covered Richie's mouth.

"I think you need to rest, I'll take you to your room." Bill nodded intrigued, as he went to talk to Stan and Beverly. Ben and Mike had fallen asleep a long time ago, proof of that were the drawings poorly made on their faces with permanent markers.

Eddie sat Richie on the bed, hitting softly the boy's head with his hand. "What's wrong with you? You almost told Bill that," He was interrupted by a lips on his, making him walk away instantly. "You are drunk." Richie laughed and caressed Eddie's cheek with his thumb delicately, placing another kiss on his lips. He got up from the bed and started looking for his pajamas.

"Eddie, the only advantage of having the parents I have is that I am endowed with immunity to high amounts of alcohol." He found it and started to take off his shirt to put on his pajamas. Eddie turned to look away, not knowing what to do. Richie already dressed took Eddie in his arms and hugged him. "Aren't you just mine?" Eddie laughed and free himself of the grip.

"I'm going to put on my pajamas. I'll be right back."

"Eds, you don't need to leave. I promise not to watch if it makes you uncomfortable." Richie turned around, Eddie decided to dress quickly while the other boy was turned around.

"Ready." Eddie said. "Will we go back with the others?" The curly boy raised the shoulders.

"I don't think they will notice our absence."

"Should we then sleep now?"

"If it is what you want or do you have something else in mind?" Richie answered while sitting on the bed.

Eddie looked down, his cheeks lit up.

"Come here." Richie seemed to read his mind. The little boy sat back in his friend's lap. Richie stroked Eddie's face and the little boy looked away, distressed. Richie took his face, forcing him to look into his eyes, and after a while he closed the space between them.

The kiss started slow, Eddie embarrassed, hit his tongue with Richie's teeth, the tallest boy let out a small laugh and separate.

"So you want that French kiss, huh?" He continue kissing him slowly. "Let me do it first." Richie's tongue hit Eddie's teeth and the youngest opened his mouth, giving him entrance. Richie's tongue traveled the entire oral cavity of Eddie, taking him to another level. They had a battle of tongues, after a while they separated to breath. "Well done, Eds. As much as I love having you on top of me, and showing you what a good French kiss is, my pants start to tighten and I think it's a sign that we should stop so I don't lose my mind, and why not? Try to sleep a bit." The little boy nodded, embarrassed by Richie's comment, getting out of his lap, giving to his friend a small bump on the shoulder.

The older one turned off the light in the room and when he lay down on the bed he took Eddie in his arms, placing occasional kisses on his face. Eddie just laughed a little, after a while, the two of them were able to fall asleep.

When Eddie woke up, Richie still held him in his arms. The smallest, for the first time in a long time, didn't feel lonely on waking. He heard noises below, taking him out of the trance he was in. He remembered that their friends had also stayed and decided that he would go down before anyone could find them in that somehow compromising situation. He tried to get up but Richie squeezed him closer to his chest, Eddie chuckled.

"Richie, let go." He tried to pull away the arms of his friend around him but it was impossible.

"No." He simply replied. "Stay here with me."

"Come on. The others are down, we have to eat breakfast." Richie thought about it and letting out a big sigh, he got up and carried Eddie as if it were a sack. "What do you think you're doing? Get me down right now!" Richie just laughed, going down the stairs heading towards the kitchen.

"Oh, there you are." Mike said when they both came in. "Beverly was about to send me to look for you, it's good that you're already here."

Richie put Eddie down, earning a hard blow on the shoulder. "Don't ever do that again."

Everyone was leaving, saying goodbye to Richie and thanking him for being the host.

"Hey, Eddie, are you coming with us?" Ben asked, getting on his bike.

"No, I have not kept my things. I think I'll stay for a little while. See you on Monday!" Everyone gave him a smile and left.

Richie rested his head on the younger's one, both watched as his friends disappeared from their sight.

"So, what do you think if we go to drink a milkshake? I know that you love them and my parents have left me a lot of money without them realizing it." _That sounds like a date,_ Eddie couldn't help thinking. "Then we could go see a movie at Aladdin or we can see one here, it doesn't matter." _It's practically a date_. The boy just nodded, trying to hide his emotion, quickly entering the house to take his fanny pack.

He didn't want to put high his hopes, but he thought it wouldn't hurt to think for a second that he and Richie were on a date.

The day went by as planned, the guys had gone to the milkshake shop and after a couple of laughs, and Richie's comments out of place, they finished their drinks and decided it was time to go see the movie billboard.

"Eddie, look at this!" Richie pointed to a sign where there was a house that looked pretty gloomy and the name of the film was written in red letters looking like it was blood. "I thought it would come out until the end of the next month, they say it's one of the most terrifying movies of the year, we definitely have to see it!" Eddie grimaced and denied slowly. "Are you afraid? Don't worry, I will protect you." Richie was interrupted by a third person.

"Richie? Oh, what a coincidence to find you here!" The same girl that Eddie had seen with Richie the previous days was in front of them. "I tried to reach you, I looked for your number in the phone book and found it, but nobody answered the call."

"It is broken." The answer sounded more like a question, the curly boy gave the girl a crooked smile. Eddie rolled the eyes, he knew that Richie's house phone was in perfect condition. "Surely it will be fixed soon."

"Great." The girl gave him a smile and looked at the poster that the two guys were watching before. "Don't tell me you're going to see this movie! My friends and I too! You could totally sit with us."

Richie seemed to meditate it. "I don't know. I came with my friend Eddie and I was trying to convince him but he's really scared of that kind of stuff, so I'm not so sure about it." The pigtailed girl whose name was still unknown to Eddie put her eyes on him for the first time, noticing his presence. The boy's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, he hadn't liked at all the comment of Richie telling things that didn't concern her, and now this particularly enthusiastic girl gave him a mocking smile.

"I'm not afraid." It was the only thing that came out of Eddie's mouth and Richie just gave him a smile.

"Great! Then if it's like that, I'll see you there." The girl turned to observe her group of friends, smiling at them." I'll save you a place, Richie!" The girl gave him one last smile, too perfect to be true, _surely she has practiced all her life_ , Eddie thought.

"Terror in Amityville will be?" Eddie grimaced, he had placed himself between the sword and the wall. If he told Richie that he wouldn't want to, he would look like a coward in front of his friend and the girl with the pigtails, besides the curly boy wanted to see the movie, and he didn't want to ruin their day, but if he said yes, they would have to sit with the girl of the pigtails and her friends, and he'd have to put up with seeing her next to Richie. _This doesn't sound like a date at all._ The grimace on his face disappeared, becoming expressionless.

"I," Eddie looked Richie's eyes. "Anyway, if it's something you really want to see," Richie hugged him and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.

If he were ever asked for whom he would do anything, Eddie know what he would answer, without even blinking.

Now Eddie was sitting in a row behind Richie and the pigtailed girl. Upon reaching the cinema, they found _Sherry_ , that apparently was the name of the girl, Eddie couldn't help but think that he would have preferred never to know her name. It was impossible to escape from her because the moment they entered, she was calling Richie's name, shouting from her seat. So they had no choice but approach. The girl was at the end of a row, with only one free seat at her side, and her friends occupying the others.

"I think we don't fit here," Richie commented. "We'll search other seats."

"Oh, no, no, no." The girl denied, pointing at an empty seat behind the row she was in. "Your friend,"

"Eddie." Richie interrupted her. 

"Eddie." The girl repeated, somehow managing to pronounce it wrong. "He can sit there, next to Tom. He's Ruby's brother, he's younger than us, but their parents would not let her out if she didn't bring him so, here he is. Anyway, they will get along." Sherry commented, referring to the boy sitting next to the empty seat behind them.

"I don't think it's a good idea." Richie said, and the girl began to make them dizzy with a lot of talking.

So now Eddie was sitting behind them, with fucking popcorn that Richie had bought for him, and Ruby's younger brother, _who the hell is Ruby anyways_ , Eddie thought.

The two boys had a silent agreement of not even trying to strike up a conversation, which Eddie was quite grateful for. Eddie could hear the boys in the front row laughing and talking and couldn't help but turned the eyes. _I hope the movie starts now so they just close their damn mouths._

As soon as the lights went out and a gloomy song began to play, along with the screen title appearing on the screen, Eddie wished he had not thought that. It was one of the worst moments he could have lived. Okay. He accepted it. Richie was right. Eddie hated horror movies, he was terrified of them. The only reason he accepted to see them is because Richie is always there, holding his hand, hugging him or simply comforting him with a look. Now he was alone.

His eyes watered a little, but it was not until the film moved a little farther, and that from the corner of the front seats he noticed that Shelly was bringing her face closer to Richie's, that he exploded. Tears slid down his cheeks, as he threw the popcorn pot on the floor, the noise of the crashing into the floor being overshadowed by a scream in the movie, the first screamer. He ran out of there, abruptly drying his tears with the hands.

Eddie placed his inhaler between his lips, he whimped, he didn't want to know anything else. Not now, not for a while.

Eddie was in his room. He had come crying to his house, thanking all the heavens that her mother wasn't there. Sonia used to go out when Eddie wasn't at home for being with his friends. She couldn't stand the loneliness of the house, so she usually went out to visit friends or relatives. Now she would probably come back until tomorrow, because Eddie had asked permission to spend the whole weekend with his friend. _Friend_.

Eddie felt like an idiot, he didn't know how he could think that Richie would feel anything for him. He remembered all the kisses and caresses they had shared a few days ago, in the room of the curly boy and also right there where he was a mess of sobs. He felt stupid, Richie had used him to experiment with him. It was just that. A damn experiment. A fucking _what would it feel like?_

Eddie couldn't believe it, he was so embarrassed. The boy wanted the earth to swallow him or that the murderer of the movie that he didn't finish seeing put an end to his life. After a while of being hugging his legs and hiding the head between them, he heard a loud tapping on the window. _Of course_. "Eddie, I know you're there." His heart stopped. "Open the window." He dried his cheeks quickly with his hands and he leaned his back against the wall. "Please."

Eddie didn't have the strength to face Richie, he just couldn't see him. Richie continued tapping on the window, while the youngest tried to control his sobbing.

After a while the tapping on the window ceased and the sound of Richie's voice disappeared. Eddie stood up of the bed unsure and cautiously, opened the curtain a little to observe, no one was there anymore.

The brunet sighed and threw himself back onto the bed. It was not long when it was heard that the front door opened and that some feet were rapidly climbing the stairs. _Hell_. The spare key. He cursed himself for telling Richie everything. He heard a knock on the door and how Richie tried to turn the knob to open it, without success.

"Eddie." The boy leaned his head against the wooden door. "I can be here all day." He tapped weakly with the knuckles. "I need to talk to you, but I need to see your face while I do it." Eddie let out a sob, breaking Richie's heart. "Please. Then I will go if that's what you want to."

The minor evaluated the situation. He knew that if he didn't open the door, Richie could keep his word and never leave, which would generate a problem with his mother the next day, who believed that Eddie was at Richie's house and if she came and saw them in that situation, she would never trust his friends again. That couldn't happen.

Eddie knew it would hurt to see Richie, but it was better to do it now than to prolong it. His heart was already broken anyway, why not better end all this now?

Richie heard Eddie's weak footsteps towards the door, and also how he unlocked it. The curly boy quickly opened the door, before Eddie could regret it, and what he saw shrugged his heart. An Eddie with watery eyes and his cheeks full of tears, hugging himself.

Richie couldn't help it, and ran up to him, took his delicate face in his hands and watching him, approached his face slowly, but Eddie turned his head.

"What, what do you need to talk about?" Eddie walked away a little and watched him, hurt.

Richie most of the time had no filters to talk, and this was one of those times. "I'm an idiot, the biggest one. I know you have every right to be angry, and to hate me, I know! I know I shouldn't have left you alone, I never should have done it! I've always known that you're afraid of horror movies, but Shelly and her stupid words made me dizzy." Richie looked into Eddie's eyes and took his face back in his hands, stroking the boy's cheeks almost fearfully, sending electric currents to the heart of the minor. "My only mission is to protect you, to keep you safe, you know? I promised that to your mother. At that time I still didn't know many things, but I knew you always had to be fine."

"Richie, you don't have to keep a promise you made when we were five." The younger boy whispered, martyred by the touch Richie still had on his cheeks.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to do it. Don't you understand, Eddie? I do it for myself." He let go of his cheeks and Eddie felt a hollowness. "I know it sounds selfish, I've done a lot of selfish things lately."

"What do you mean?"

"I have always protected you, and that is why you trust me, isn't it?" Richie turned to see him, waiting for an answer, when he received a small nod continued. "I have abused that trust you have me, Eddie. It had been in small things that I could control, you know? Like taking your hand, or caress your hair, besides bothering you sometimes. When I started sleeping with you at night, I knew I had gone over the line of what I could keep under control, but, Eddie, when I forced you to kiss me," He looked at him, this time Richie had a serious face, the pain of his words could be felt, but under the conditions in which Richie had grown up, he had always been unable to cry, he didn't know how to do it, so everything always ended up ripping him inside. "I knew that I had exceeded myself, but I couldn't stop it. I just couldn't. And now I have failed you. So you have the right to act as if the end of the world was happening through having abandoned you during the show, and for having forced you to do all those things with me." He had a lump in his throat. "I've failed myself, and what worse is that I have failed you."

Eddie slowly approached Richie and this time it was his turn to take his friend's face between his hands, while at the same time, they were both sitting on the bed.

"Listen, you have not forced me to anything that I didn't want it." He stroked Richie's cheek, slowly, placing one of his friend's rebellious curls behind his ear, knowing that it wouldn't last nothing there. "I am hurt, but not because you left me alone at the movie." He looked down. "But, because you chose someone else over me." He turned his head in embarrassment, letting go of Richie's face. "I know it's stupid, and that you have all the right to do it but,"

"I would never do something like that." Richie said without hesitating. "Shelly is just the daughter of the owners of the liquor store. So I've known her for a long time, and my parents have always forced me to have to treat her and her whole family well. You know, it's in their interest to have them as friends. Shelly started to have an interest in me until now. And you know? I couldn't just come and say _No thanks, I'm already in love with someone else_. My parents are involved. Although, with what happened now I think I could have done it a long time ago and saved us from all that drama." Eddie looked at him confused, out of words. Richie had just confessed that is in love with him? The boy blushed but before he could focus the conversation on that, Richie continued his explanation. "In the first scene where a screamer came out I turned to see if you were okay, but Shelly was planning on giving me a kiss so she crashed uncomfortably with my nose, after realizing that you weren't there, I decided to run out to look for you and Shelly followed me, yelling afterwards that I couldn't leave, and that we were having a good time. I replied that I was worried about you, and that it was important to find you, she asked if it was even more important than her, and I ran away, hearing how she let out screams of anger. Damn, Eds. I was very busy thinking about how you would be that I couldn't explain anything, although I don't know what I would have said, now that I think about it. Anyway, it was time for my parents to find another liquor store." The little boy let a small laugh came out from his mouth. "I would never choose anyone over you."

"I thought you just wanted to experiment with me." Eddie lowered his head in sorrow, knowing that he had to share everything with Richie so that nothing remained inside him that oppressed his chest. "You know, kissing a boy,"

Richie took him by the waist and placed him on his lap. "Eds." He removed with his finger a tear that was on the boy's cheek. "It hurts me you thought that." The curly boy kissed Eddie's forehead. "I kissed you because I had always dreamed about that. In my head was always the question of what it would be like to have your delicate lips on mine." Eddie looked into his friend's eyes. "And at that moment I was feeling so bad that I thought the only thing that could make me forget everything and make me feel better, it would be kissing you."

"Then do you love me?" The little one asked, with a trembling voice.

"I'm in love with you, I've always been. Is my answer enough?" Eddie nodded and gave the other boy a small but significant kiss on the lips.

"Could you hold me while we try to sleep? I'm a little tired." Eddie said with a low tone. Richie nodded and placed Eddie on the bed, wrapping his arms around him and handing kisses all over his face.

Eddie began to play with Richie's hand, watching it and slowly caressing a scar that was in it. Richie closed his eyes, and Eddie snuggled closer.

"I feel weak." Eddie suddenly released, earning the attention of the curly boy. "Powerless." He turned to see the eyes of his friend. "Every time you arrive with a blow, with a bruise. I can't do nothing to stop it." His eyes were crystallized. "I'm sorry."

Richie denied. "Eds." He caressed the boy's face. "None of this is your fault. You are the only person who always has been there for me, who has taken care of me. Thanks to you I have the strength to continue."

"I can't stand seeing you hurt. You don't deserve any of that." Richie placed a kiss on Eddie's forehead.

"You know? I've always thought about leaving. Get away from this town, and never look back. But I always felt that something was holding me here, something I couldn't stop."

"What is it?" Eddie played timidly with Richie's fingers.

"I always thought it was the hope that everything that's bad would change, but I had ruled it out a long time ago. I assumed that leaving the place where I grew up, the thought of leaving my friends hurt." Richie's paused. "But the idea of leaving you behind killed me. I wouldn't survive without you, Eds."

The boy blushed, tightening his grip on Richie's hand.

"Someday you and I will leave here, Richie. I promise." Eddie smiled at the other boy, who couldn't help but smile back. "We'll go away and we'll be very happy." Eddie turned to give him a short kiss. "Together."

**Author's Note:**

> http://gazeboslover.tumblr.com


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